Analindë (The Chronicles of Lóresse) Read Online Free Page B

waves. “Gildhorn said the Mageborn Books would be in the west wing. Pity that it’s now blown to bits.”
    Gildhorn! Sadness washed over her. Why was he working with the humans? Seconds later an icy rage filled her. She inched closer so she wouldn’t miss a word.
    “What do we do now?” the scratchy voice asked.
    “We’ll have to find a way into the Mountain City. They have a set,” the brawny man said grimly.
    “We’ll never make it past the city gates,” the woman whined.
    “You doubt my abilities?” the wizard said.
    “No, no of course not.” Shoe leather scraped against stone and gravel crunched. “You have proved yourself admirably.”
    “I am pleased to hear it,” said the wizard. “Now, we have work to do. . . . There is still one left.”
    Silence ensued.
    “The daughter,” the wizard prompted.
    “She could be anywhere.”
    “They said she’d already left for the Harvest Festival,” said the brawny man. Analindë heard metal slide against metal, the sound of a sword being re-sheathed.
    “No. She’s here,” the human wizard said. “Gildhorn checked this morning before we came. Besides this thing,” Analindë heard the tap of a fingernail against metal and the rattle of a chain, “is indicating that there’s still one more around. Once I figure out how to link to it properly–” His words stumbled to a halt. Analindë would have felt glad that the arrogant wizard had admitted he was unable to do something, if not for the meaning of what he’d said. Basically, the longer she stayed around, the more likely she was to get caught. She thought of the great house and wondered how much time she’d have to search for her family.
    “We’ll never find her,” the gravelly voice said.
    “We’ll find her, don’t worry. After that,” the wizard paused, “She won’t hide from us. She’ll come to us. All the while wondering what has happened.”
    “Let’s split up and sweep the village. She could already be here,” the brawny man said.
    “Yes, of course,” the wizard drawled. “Quite good at stating the obvious, aren’t you.” Analindë almost felt sorry for the man, almost.
    “Henry, you should set up . . . ” their voices drifted out of range. Blvaren ! She wanted to know what they were planning.
    She waited until she couldn’t hear their footfalls any longer, then counted to ten. Hoping that the humans would be out of sight, Analindë eased up and gazed out the window while working the stiffness out of her knees. Her eyes roved over her home, studying it, checking the windows for a sign or signal. She felt a pain in her chest and willed it away. The only reason the humans would have walked back out of the great house alone was if her family had been unable to stop them. Were they lying injured somewhere? She turned away from the view, heading for the door, and ignored the spot deep inside her, next to the ache in her chest that hinted they were dead.
    She blinked away thoughts of Riian’s body torn open from the woman’s sword. Had there been fresh blood on it when the humans had left the great house? She frowned. She couldn’t remember.
    Feeling brash, Analindë glanced the way the humans had gone, then darted across the courtyard toward the closest corner of her home. She crawled through an open window into the receiving room and silently wove her way past wreckage while searching for any sign of her family. The room had been upended. Portraits—ripped from the walls—lay scattered and tables were tipped over. She scanned the room as she walked to the doorway, ducking to look under and behind chaises, tables, and couches.
    The Mageborn Books, she mulled. Weren’t they elvenlore? Fifty years studying history and she’d never seen a hint of the books actually existing. Scarce rumors about them flitted about like the ones about dragons, yes. But the books existing in reality, no. She looked back at the room with sadness before she entered the hall and strode to the